The "Bend but Don’t Break" Defense
Eric Tabor
Friday April 6, 2007
The South Georgia Wildcats defense may not have lived by a mantra for the past two seasons, but that is a way of life in the fast paced sport called Arena Football. The “Bend but Don’t Break” defense, the idea that a defense can give up a couple of yards or points here or there but when it comes down to it they do not give up the crucial points.
The defense did not earn this mantra in the first half against the Arkansas Twisters. Last season, The Twisters, who had one of the league's best records, advanced to the second round of the af2 playoffs.
Arkansas reeled off 24 consecutive points. Coming into halftime the Cats were staring down four huge plays that were the difference in the game. Arkansas had scored on two deep throws, one of 40 yards to Robert Kilow, and 38 yards to Errick McCown.
In the second half the defense forced two turnovers and three stops. One interception was a step or two away from giving the Cats the lead. All of the stops were crucial to the five-touchdown comeback that the offense staged.
The most important drive of the game was put into the defense’s hands. After South Georgia scored to cut the lead down to 31-27, Arkansas got the ball back with two and a half minutes left in the third quarter; Brian Villanueva threw an interception to Derrick Lloyd that lead to the score that put the Cats up for good.
Tavaris Capers had three touchdown catches, while Scott Coleman added two more. D. Bryant and Jullian Reese combined for 232 yards passing.
Late in the fourth quarter the public address announcer added that if the Cats score 42 points everyone in attendance would receive a FREE Sonic Hamburger. Derrick Lloyd got the honor of being the Sonic Man with a two yard TD run with four minutes left in the game.
Final score: Cats 47 Twisters 31